For three weeks we visited Greece to study the dimensions of the Greek Intellectual Revolution: democracy, rhetoric, drama, and art as mediated through sport, religion with a careful look at gender roles.

We spent time in Athens as well as on the road around the county. We were looking at artifacts and ideas together: texts at sites.

The drive into Athens from the airport - the first view of the city is always an emotional moment for me. Returning to an old friend, hoping my new friends like it wondering what the days ahead will bring.

On this page I'm going to focus on group activities more than sites. See our class website for a schedule of activities.

Opening night dinner. It was cold, we were tired. But the food was good and we're in Greece!

On new year's eve day we started with the Acropolis and met the very knowledgable Prof. Michael Wedde for the first time. An archeologist with decades of experience in Greece, he would explain the sites to us. Look forward to working with him again.

Every time I've come to the Acropolis there has been scaffolding, but always in a different place. Always there is the promise that it will be gone by the time I come back. One day.

These are copies.

And this is the original (in the Acropolis museum).

Culture shock? Language barriers? But almost everything is also translated into English. (Ticket machine for the subway.)

New year's eve we took students on a brief tour. (Love what modern digital cameras can do at night.)

Syntagma square on new year's eve - where the party wasn't.

Fireworks near the Acropolis.

Reenacting the Mytilenian Debate at the ancient assembly grounds.

At the ancient cemetery.

Food porn. "There is no lettuce in a Greek salad. No lettuce. Not now, not then, not ever. Got that?" Why, oh why, can't I get one of these in the United States?

Theater of Dionysus with TA Alyssa teaching.

Corinth, near the fountain. This is one of my personal favorite places and themes to discuss (rhetorical analysis of the New Testament).

I love the bus (at Mycenae).

Down the cistern at Mycenae.

Inside the tholos tomb at Mycenae. We took over 16,000 pictures.

Everyone loves Nafplio.

Hotel in Nafplio. Such a trendy bathroom, but also a proper balcony.

Epiphany ceremony in Nafplio.

Up on the fort above Nafplio. For the view, see the image on this page.

On top of the fort.

At the open-air water power museum.

At the water power museum. I don't think I ever had the energy of this lot. I get to travel to Greece thanks to them.

Dimitsana.

Olympia.

Olympia.

Olympia. But what is significant is what you don't see. There is no one in the picture. In May there would be 30 people visible in the same shot. Probably 50 visible in June. There are compensations for going in winter.

Delphi.

Delphi.

Head from a temple statue at Delphi. Probably one of the most significant things we saw. Perhaps not visually striking, but in terms of rareness and significance - almost without equal.

Our great driver.

Meteora. Still don't get why this was necessary, but we were guests so follow the rules. Appreciate the good attitude on the students part.

Meteora.

Meteora.

Life on the bus. "You're sleeping! You're missing the Greek countryside!" Oh well.

Our long suffering logistics coordinator, the ever on the job, Joanna from the Athens Center. Somehow, she still likes us. And we got a new friend.

The torch is passed to a new generation.

What is visiting Greece without seeing a demonstration. This had something to do with gold.

More food porn. I eat out three meals a day in Greece and it is so much more healthy than U.S. food.

Thessaloniki sunset.

Sadly, we must go back to Athens.

"We are Gophers!" At Thermopylae.

Final night dinner. Rosemarie from the Athens Center at far left.

This is the house I want to buy. Fantastic view of the city from that balcony. Of course, it probably has no power or heat and a family of raccoons living in the kitchen, but once I get it you can come and stay for free-as long as you help fix it up.

The trip is for you the students, not for me. But -- hundreds of hours of work go into each trip that you don't see. It may look effortless but that's because of all that advance work. I was so grateful for Alyssa's contributions - many of which were not seen by you either.